Happy spring! What a month March has been, particularly with three of our NCAA Division I basketball teams making the NCAA March Madness tournaments. I would also love to give a special shout out to our board member, North Carolina Central University athletic director Ingrid Wicker McCree, who was named the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year at the beginning of March.

I’m proud to give you another snapshot of the work being done by the Durham Sports Commission (DSC). You should have received our annual report (if you didn’t – please let us know), which served as our first quarterly piece and was a great way to help us showcase the end of our first fully staffed fiscal year.

So, what have we been up to this fiscal year? We have organized and submitted two bids (one for a national event and another for a regional championship) as well as partnered with another group on a state championship bid. We won the 2019 USATF Youth Outdoor National Championships bid, a monumental accomplishment for our young organization. As part of the bids and national outreach, we’ve worked closely with facility owners to ensure that we use each opportunity to further develop Durham’s sports community.

In that same spirit, we have already worked with local event owners and supported 25 Durham-based events this fiscal year. Through operations, marketing, sponsorship, or other avenues of support, I am proud of the value we’ve provided to locally owned events and the role DSC is playing in the community.

We have much to look forward to in the next few months. The DSC Board of Directors will discuss how to best proceed after receiving a facility assessment and market study recently completed by The Huddle Up Group, industry leading consultants. I have full confidence in the board and what they will take into consideration as DSC continues its work to positively impact the community. The board also recently selected 19 community members to serve as members of the DSC Advisory Committee. The new members’ insight will help us present messages to the community and further develop sports tourism in Durham. The advisory committee is another step to further the mission of DSC and engage the community, pushing our vision forward to positively impact Durham.

I look forward to continuing our work, telling you all about our successes, and furthering the discussion about what type of sports destination Durham wants to become. We continue to keep community at the center of our work and I look forward to engaging with you in the process.

Yours in sport,
Ashleigh Bachert

What We Do

The mission of the Durham Sports Commission (DSC) is to create economic and social impact by leading community efforts to attract, support, and promote youth, amateur, collegiate, and professional sporting and recreational events.

But what does that really mean? We champion development. We champion play. We Champion Durham.

The vision of DSC is to:
• Increase the capacity of local sporting events
• Boost the participation rates of local sporting events
• Work with national event owners to recruit the most impactful sporting events to Durham
• Engage the Durham community in supporting the spirit of sport

DSC's Top 3 of the Quarter

Here’s a quick hit of a few things that have a happened in the last few months:

1

DSC took the prize in its first-ever national bid for a major championship event, the 2019 USATF National Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships to be held at Durham County Memorial Stadium. As many as 4,500 athletes aged 7–18, are expected to travel to Durham and compete in the event, which would generate a forecasted economic impact of over $7 million.

2

DSC hosted a media event with the Triangle Curling Club leading up to the United States Women’s Curling Association 70th Annual Bonspiel and 2018 Winter Olympics. Twelve regional and local media members attended, shot footage, and had a blast out on the ice. DSC created themed jerseys for the event, which a few media members posted on social media.

3

DSC completed the filming and production of two promotional videos to showcase Durham’s all-star amenities to external event holders and generate pride for the local community. Check out the first video that champions Durham, as well as the second that highlights family and fan experiences in the Bull City.

On-Deck Events

The Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship is coming back to the Bull City! The annual championship returns May 22–27, bringing 12 ACC baseball teams and their fans for a week of baseball games and family fun. The event will infuse more than $6 million into Durham’s economy. DSC will host a free, family-friendly ACC Baseball FanFest street fair on Saturday, May 26 on Blackwell Street (just outside the Durham Bulls Athletic Park). Interested in participating as a local vendor or business? Fill out the vendor registration form.

Speaking of baseball, tonight is the Durham Bulls' opening homestand! Don't miss the opening series versus the rival Charlotte Knights going through April 11.

Duke welcomes eight ACC women’s lacrosse teams to Durham for the conference championship on April 26–29. It’s your chance to see some of the nation’s best women’s lacrosse players compete over three days of elite competition.

The 2018 Komen Triangle Race for the Cure will take place on Saturday, May 5. Festivities include a timed 5K, recreational walk, one-mile fun run, Kids’ Dash, survivor celebration, family fun zone, beer garden, food trucks, and giveaways.

Durham County Facility Assessment and Market Study

DSC contracted The Huddle Up Group to conduct a facility assessment and market study. The Huddle Group is a consulting agency with more than 40 years of experience empowering sports organizations that create positive communities through sports tourism. On March 13, DSC and The Huddle Up Group’s leadership team presented the findings in a public listening session. The DSC Board of Directors will review the findings and recommendations to make informed decisions about the future of sports in Durham.

Introducing DSC’s Advisory Committee

This March, DSC also announced members of its new advisory committee. The members will share community perspectives and input on future sports and/or events to target, as well as serve on local organizing committees for events as available and needed. Members include: